Henning Larsen Unveils Winning Design for Campus Roskilde

Henning Larsen is racking up some major points in the architecture world, and now they can add another project to their list of accomplishments. The Danish firm recently won a competition to design the new Campus Roskilde at the University College Sealand Roskilde, Denmark. Characterized by ample daylighting the new campus will consolidate the bachelor’s programs for social education, social work, health, and teaching. Composed of four square buildings slightly rotated, the campus is designed to optimize energy consumption while facilitating learning and community.

The winning design team is made up of Henning Larsen Architects, Enemærke & Petersen, COWI Engineers, and Thing & Wainø Landscape Architects. Their design concept centered around the theme of ”Many minds – one pulse,” and was chosen on July 8th by a unanimous jury. The new campus is composed of four square buildings of varying sizes, totaling 14,000 sq meters. Each building is slightly rotated, which offers a number of benefits — ample daylighting will flow into all of four buildings through roof skylights, and this off-angle layout make the buildings easily adaptable to future expansions.

Construction on the buildings is expected to begin soon, with completion of the new campus slated for the end of 2012. With a large covered square under the main building, the campus opens up to the rest of the university grounds and should facilitate dialogue and student interaction, giving the students a feeling of being part of a diverse university environment beating with one pulse. The jury commended Henning Larsen’s proposal as “carefully thought out and in agreement with the overall layout and architectural principles, including a clear strategy for optimal use of the naturally differentiated daylight opportunities of the building.”